Spindle



Aug. 21,1928. f E. B. FEASTER TAL SPINDLE Filed oct. '5, 1923 nnwannn FmsTEaAND ALBERT W. ARNOLD, or LOWELL;

Patented Aug. 21, 192.8.

UNITED STATES. PATENT oFFicn.

MASSACHUSETTS, As-

SIGNORS T SACO-LOWELL SHOPS,AOIF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION SPINDLE.

0F MASSACHUSETTS.

9 Application led October 3, 1923. Serial LNo.` 666,293.

This invention relates to spindles of the character used particularly in the textile industry for spinning, twisting, and the like Spndles of this type are required to rotate at such high speeds that any imperfections in the balance of the spindle or its load, or in the 'lubrication of thev spindle, adversely affeet its running qualities.

The methods of manufacture of spindles have beeny so :improved that, as a rule, the

. spindles alone `run` satisfactorily, but the spools or other thread bodies carried by the Y lspindles often become warped, misshapen or chipped sufliciently to so unbalance the load that the geometrical aXis of rotation of the spindle does not pass through the center of gravity of the spindle plus its load. The pull of the belt or band by which the spindle is driven, and variations in the tension of the yarn or. thread which is being twisted or spun, also affect the running qualities of the ordinary spindle. Those skilled in this art are only too familiar with the violent chattering or vibration of the spindles of a spinning frame when the spindles are coming up to speedl This chattering or vibration is most violent at what -may be called a critical speed which, as a rule, is considerably below the runing speed, so that when the spindles have once reached their normal running f speed they then run moresatisfactorily. But

during the period in which they pass through the critical speed, their violent vibration or chattering is objectionable, both from an op'- erating standpoint, and also because it frequently results in breaking the strand of material being twisted or spun, particularly if this strand is weak or dehcate.

With these considerations in view, the present invention has for its chief object to devise a spindle structure which will overcome i the diiiculties above mentioned. It is a particular objectl of the invention to devise a spindle which will run steady even 'under conditions that'would causev spindles of the usual constructions to vibrate excessively,

i, and to provide a spindle of this character which can be manufactured economically, in

which wear and depreciation shall be reduced to' a minimum2 and which generally will satisy the practical requirements for a device of this type.

The nature of the invention will be readily 'iunderstoodfrom the following description Avvhenread in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel featuresiwill be particularly claims.

In the drawings, Figure 'l is a vertical, cross-sectional view pointed out in the appended of a spindle structure embodying the invention in the form at present preferred;

Fig. 2 is across-sectional view through the central portion of the spindle, the plane of (goss-section being at right angles to that in ig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the beairmg members for supporting the bolster; an

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of part of a sleeve which forms one element of the struc- The construction shownI comprises a spindle blade 2 of a common form having a whirl 3 secured fast thereon. 'The blade is supported in a bolster 4 which carries two bearings for the blade; One of these bearings is vof the step form and consists of a bronze block 5 secured in the bottom of the bolster by a pin 6, while the other consists of a bronze bushing 7 which is frictionally held in the upper end of the bolster and supports the Ablade laterally Between these two bearings,

however, the blade .is unsupported. The whirl is provided with a surface 8 to receive the driving belt or band, andthe center line of the pull of this band or belt is indicated by the line ai-, Fig. 1. It should be noted that the bearing bushing 7 supports the blade laterally in the general region of the line of belt ull. p The bolster 4 is mounted within a spindle base, indicated in general at 10, and which comprises a central part designed to rest o n a spindle rail 11, and upper and lowentubu- `a flat upper surface, the plane of which, in

the construction shown, lies just above the plane of the lineY of belt ull -fa The center of the spherical su ace of the part 15 preferably lies substantially in the line m-m. A strong spring 17 is seated in a counter-'bored section of the base and presses the socket member. 16 irmlyagainst its cooperating -fball member 15. The upward movement of the latter member, however, is limitedA by a stationary sleeve 18 havin at its lower end, a flat annular face 19, igs. 2 and 4, against which the upper flat face of the part bears. A ca 20 is threaded on the upper end of the liousing 12 and holds the sleeve 18 against upward movement, and thus, also, maintains the spring 17 under compression. This sleeve is prevented from rotating in the housing by means of a key 21 which fits in a keyway formed in the wall ofthe housing. The sleeve also has I4two holes or recesses 23, Fig. 4, formed in its lower end, either one of which may receive a pin 22 carried by the member 15 and which prevents the latter member from rotating.

It will nowA be understood that when this spidle isrunning and carrying a thread body, the weight of .which is eccentrically disposed, this factor and the tension of the thread or yarn tends to tip the spindle and thus toproduce'the chattering or vibration 'which has been so objectionable in prior constructions. In the present arrangement such tipping of the spindle in any direction results in swinging the part 15 on the lower annular `face 19 of the` sleeve 18 as a fulg crum. This depresses the socket sleeve 16 against the tension ofthe spring 17. Such tippingmovement, therefore, is yieldingly resisted by the spring, which acts through the ball and socket bearing to hold the spindle and the vbolster normally in their central positions. While the spindle, thereore, can yield to forces tending to tip it, it

does, nevertheless, oppose a resilient or elastic resistance to such forces, and tends to return toits central or normal position. We have definitely established that this spindle does operate satisfactorily under unbalanced loads and under running conditions which would make proper4 operation impossible with any other spindle of which we have been able to learn. .The reasons for this improved result are somewhat obscure, but the following is the explanation which v'is supported by the data at present available:

' A spindle, whether of the construction here shown, or of the usual commercial constructions, is mounted for rotation about its geometrical axis. When such a spindle carries an eccentricsor unbalanced load and is run at high speeds, it then tends to rotate, not about its geometrical axis, but about an axis passing through the center of gravity of the entire rotating mass. Consequently, when a spindle so loaded is started from a condiftion of rest and its speed of rotation is gradually increased, the forces tendingv to shift from the geometrical axis to the'natural axis of rotation gradually increase. A coniiict, therefore, is set up between the forces tending to maintain or establish these two axes, -withtheresult Ithat the spindle vibrates or chatters. If the spindle is rigidly supported, this conflict continues at practically all speeds and the spindle never runs steady. Usually, however there is enough play in the spindle` blade aring to enable the axis of rotation to Win the battle before the running-speed is reached so that lthe spindle runs steady, or fairly so, at normal speeds. In the vconstruction shown. the

spindle is so supported that it can tip freely, j

and the conflict therefore is won-by the axis of rotation at a very low speed, or almost at the start, and the spindle runs steady at all higher speeds. In fact, no vibration is observable at any speed. At high speeds and with an unbalanced load this spindle has a gyrating motion. That is, it gyrates around an axis passing through the center of gravityl of the entire rotating mass and the center of the ball member 15. The amplitude of gyration, of course, is very small so that, to'the eye, the spindle appears simply to be rotating on a stationary axis and it runs perfectly steady.

The tension of the thread or yarn being spun appears to have no adverse effect on the running of this spindle. If the spindle can be saidl to have a critical speed, this critical point is so low that the thread or stantial tension. Breakage of' a fine yarn or thread, therefore, which occursy so frequently as a spindle passes through its critical speed is practically eliminated with this construction.

line of belt pull, it being understood that,

the beltmoves up and down slightly-over the surface 8 of the whirl so that `the exact -line'4 of the7 belt pull is constantly shifting up and down through a very smvall distance.- The location of the'at annular meeting surfaces of the sleeve 18 and Jball member 15 closely adjacent to the center of the ball, is of advantage in ail'ording amaximum leverage for the force that is exerted by the spring 17 and which tends to hold the spin- Any tendency of the belt pull to tip the.

' yarn at this timeis not subjected to any subdle and bolsterin their central positions. An rocking of the spindle under a force which tends to tip it violently is positively limited lby the en agement ofthe lower end of the bolster with-the inside wall of the housing 14, a clearance of, say, 'fifty-thousandths 'of an inch bein provided between these parts. A clearness 1s provided between the parts 15 and 16 to permit their relative `tipping movement, as is\clearly yshown in Fig. 2.

or the-purpose of lubricating the bearing surfaces the base 10 is provided with the usual oilv spout 24, the upper end of` 1,es1,soo

which is closedby a hinged cover 25 that performs the double functionof a cover and also of a latch to prevent any -substantial upward movement of the whirl durin dof- J'ing. The oil spout opens into an oi well in the housing 14. Slots in the bolster 4 admit oil to the step bearing 5. When the spindle is running this oil travels upwardly along the surface of the spindle through the bearing 7, and if permitted to do so, would climb up to the whirl and then work down to the skirt of the whirl and be thrown oli' in the formof a spray. `In the'present arrangement this upward movement of the oil 4is limited by an oilring 26 secured fast on the spindle at a point above the ball and socket bearing and above the upper end of the bushing 7. When the oil reaches this ring, it is thrown outwardly against the innersurface of the sleeve 18 and drops into an -annular pocket or well 27- formed between the bushing 7 and sleeve 18. An annular iiange projects inwardly from the lower end of the sleeve and forms the bottom of this well or pocket, and two holes 28-28, Fig. 2, are drilled through this iange to permit the oil to flow out of the pocket and on to the upper surface of the ball member 15. Two angular oil ducts E50-30, Fig. 2, conduct the oil from this surface to the top oi' the socket sleeve 16, and the oil flows around the upper edge of thissleeve and' down through a split or cut 31, Fig. 8, in

' the sleeve, into the oil well in the base l0.

A complete circulation of oil thus is maintained, and all the friction surfaces, includung-the Vfiat contacting surfaces of the parts 15. and 1'8, and the spherical surfaces of the ball and socket bearing are amply supplied with lubricant. parts in the manner above described thus is ensured at all times:

The split construction of the socket sleeve 16 is of advantage in giving this sleeve a certain amount of resiliency. The sleeve preferably is made so that it has a close but sliding it with the inside of the housing, and the spring 17 pressing the sleeve lirmly against the ball surface 15 tends to expand the sleeve. Any wear which occurs between the rictionsurfaces of the ball and socket bearing thus is constantly taken up, while the tendency to expand the sleeve 16 also takes up wear between this part and the housing 12.

it should be noted'that this spindle structure is relatively simple, the various parts oi the spindle structure `can be manufactured economically, and, due to the eiicient lubrication and the nature of the construction, wear and depreciation are reduced to a minimum.

ile we have herein shown and described the best embodiment of our inven- A free movement of the tion that we have so far devised, it will bo understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing` from its spiritor scope.

Having thus described our invention, whatwe desire to claim as new is:

1ir In a spindle, in combination, a bolster housing having a lrail-engaging ortion, a lower tubular portion extended elow the rail-engaging portion for a substantial distance and closed at its lower end to form an oil well, and an upper tubular portion extended above the rad-engaging portion and open at its upper end, a bolster for the spindle blade in said housing, said bolster having its lower end extended below said rail-engaging portion into said oil well and laterally movable therein and provided at its upper end with a ballmember and -1nj sertible into and removable from said houswithinv the housing and surrounding the` bolster below said socket member and acting on the latter to move it into engagement with the ball member, and means for retaining said spring in its initially compressed condition under normal conditions of use.

2. In a spindle, the combination of an upright spindle blade, a bolster in which said blade is mounted for rapid rotation, a whirl carried by said blade, a ball and `socket bearing supporting said bolster in a suspended position and permitting the bolster to tip freely about a center located within said whirl, a spindle base in which said bolster is mounted, the ball member of said bearing having a iat transverse face, another member bearing against said face, and a spring pressing said members togethen 3. In a spindle, the combination ofan up` right spindle blade, a whirl carried by said blade, a bolster supporting sald blade for rapid rotation, a ball and socket bearing on'which said-bolster is suspended, the upper surface of the ball member of said bearing being flat, a spindle base in which said bolster is mounted, a spring encircling said Y bolster and pressing the socket membenof said bearing upwardly against its cooperating ball member, and a stationary part against which the fiat face of said ball memiso ster in said base and enabling said bolster to tip about a center located within said Whirl substantially in the line of pull of the driving belt for said` whirl, the ball member of said bearing having a flat annular surface' with the plane of said surface 'lying closely adjacent to said center, a spring mounted Within said housing and pressing the socket member of said bearing against its cooperating ball member, and-.a stationary sleeve mounted within said housingand Ahaving a fiat annular surface engaging the in said housing to move said-ball and socket l bearing within the housing and effect initial 'y said rail, a bolster mounted in said housing compression-of said spring, and means cooperating with said sleeve and housing to retain said spring in its initially compressed condition.

6. In a spindle, the combination of a spindle blade, a whirl carried by 'said blade and having a surface to receive a driving belt, a spindle base 'having a part designed 1 0 rest on the ring rail of a spinning frame and havinga tubular housing extending for a substantial distance both above and below and having 4a step bearing near the bottom of the housing to support the lower end of soo said bladeand a guide bearing in line with the pull of said belt for laterally supporting the spindle, a ball and socket bearing suspending'said bolsterwithin said housing and permitting said bolster to tip about a center located substantially in the line of belt pull, said bearing including an approximately hemispherical ball member and a split socket sleeve in which said ball member is mounted, a coiled spring encircling said bolster and pressing said socketl member against its cooperating bearing member, said ball member having a flat annular surface, the plane ot which lies substantially in the line of `pull of said belt, and al stationary sleeve mounted within said housing and having ay fiat annular surface` against which the annular surface of said ball member is held by said spring.

7. In a spindle, the combination of a spindle blade, a bolster supporting said blade for rapid rotation, a whirl carried by said blade, a ball and socket bearing for supporting said bolster and enabling the bolsteto" tip about a center located within said--'whi1l, a sp'ndle baseihlving a tubular housing in which said bolster is mounted, said bearing including a ballmember and a split sleeve slidablymounted in said hous- `ing and having a socket to receive said ball member, and a spring holding said ball and sleeve firmly in engagement with each other. In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names tothis specification.

'EDWRD B. FEASTER.'

ALBERT w. ARNOLD 

